


They're Never at the Tavern

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gwaine is nice to children, Gwaine isn't always drunk, Honestly what tags can I put here, Nice!Gwaine, help me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 03:38:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8605822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Merlin spends the day looking for Gwaine. When he should be at the tavern, he's not.





	

Merlin had been looking for Gwaine all day. He had searched the whole castle, asked Arthur, asked the other knights, but no one seemed to know where he was. Now, the sun was setting, and Merlin knew where Gwaine would be. The tavern. Exactly where he was every night.

Merlin set off to the tavern, hoping to find Gwaine before he was too drunk. He passed townspeople walking back to their homes, all with smiles on their faces _._

 _Why?_ He wondered. _Every other time I pass, they rush past me, unsmiling._

Merlin continued on his path to the tavern, still wondering what could have put a smile on everyone's faces. He was almost at the tavern when he heard it. Laughing. The sound of dozens of children all laughing. _What could be so funny to them?_

He dismissed it quickly, determining his search for Gwaine to be more important. He walked the rest of the way to the tavern, the children not forgotten. He opened the door, the loud shouts and drunken songs from within the tavern briefly spilling out into the streets. He stepped in and shut the door quickly, hurrying to Gwaine's usual seat. He wasn't there. Merlin grew worried, Gwaine was always here, but still scanned the room. No sign of the knight. He gave up his search, deciding that, wherever Gwaine was, he could handle himself, as he always did. He sighed and turned back to the door, once again stepping into the cold night air.

The laughter hadn't left. He changed his course, now searching for the source of the laughter instead of the castle.

When he reached the crowd of children, he finally found out what was making them laugh so much.

There was Gwaine, in the center of a ring of children, walking on his hands. He made it a few paces, swaying all the while, and fell. There was another burst of laughter from the children.

Merlin stood in the corner of the square, watching with an amused smile on his face.

_So this was what the children found to be so funny, and happy enough that it made their parents happy._

Gwaine finally turned to face him, and, seeing his friend standing with a grin, promptly fell over. This time, Merlin laughed too.

When Gwaine got back up, he finally shooed the children off to their parents with promises that he’ll be back soon. Merlin stayed where he was, still smiling, and Gwaine walked over and started smiling too. Merlin was the first to speak.

  
“I’ve been looking for you all day, you know. This is hardly where I expected to see you.”

  
“It’s not where I expected to see myself. But you would too, if you saw there faces.”

  
Merlin grinned wider.

  
“I know.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> So that was my first Merlin fanfiction... I'll be writing at least 9 more, that I already have ideas for, but this seemed like a good one to start with. Please give any advice you can, and critique it. Thanks!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin


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